The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-12-22

George Tier DO that lsughia Holo over
aad over az in. So Il yonr boarder would
give US a song. we'd take il very lkind; and
I'm sure Horstio wonld pC her 3
dollar Siihon, begrudgiag IL III would
be something new, you see. 70 hear q
stranger" Wal. | dunno" said Mrs.
Dodd Here she comes pow with The
milk pals she can answer yoa better
than can"
Aud to Mary Bell herself Mrs. Mattison.
filled with the desire for originality. IN
folded bef scheme.
You needDi be bssbful, you know.
said Mrs Mattison. Wed make every
allowance Tor your beio' shy aud packard
aud our folks amt particular II you
could sing Nancy Lee, now, o. 'Pscka
boo, or some such good, high pitched
thing. well take il kind. My srn, Hors
Il Ito. would pay dollar. and it would sort
o be practice for you Next Monday
week.
Miss Bell hesitated moment.
"Do you mean, said she, that they
would pay me dollarS 2"
Yes" said Mrs Mattison. besming
with conscious generosity. "lts a good
price, know, but the Slackyile folks
never was mean.
Yes, sil come" said Miss Bell. qui
e,ly,
"0ur choir is dreadful nice folks, said
Mrs Mattlson. "You mustn't mind Mrs
Captain Close she's the soprano ii she
is little airlsh, Her voice is thought q
dreadful sight Of. Hannah Hall is the
coniralto there's Ferdinand Jones
and my Horstio. You will like them all.
Nov, when Can you come aud practice Z"
1t turned out, however, that Miss Bell
did not come and practice At all Mrs.
Dodd's rheumatism grew worse and the
new hired man didn't arrive until the very
Monday morning, Mrs Captain Close
tossed her blonde, closely crimped head.
III that girl spoils the concert it will
be Mrs. Mattisons fault. said she. II
never in my life heard anything SO out
rageous as stranger forcing her way in
to our entertainment. Who knows wheth-
er she can sing note Anyhow, wash
my hands OF the whole thing T.
i" Miss Bell, from New York. looks
kind o good in the paper we nailed upon
the church door," said Horstio. dare
say she'll be better than nobody"
Not soul in the audience, however,
was prepared for the wild burst Of melody
with which Mary Bell greeted them on
the night of the concert.
Il DECLARE" said Deacon Broadhead.
"Was that 'Twickenham Ferry ?" II
don't sound no more like 'Twickenham
Ferry that my Eliza Jane sings than il it
wsrn't no blood relation.
"She sings like lark" said old Miss
Small, wipipg her eyes. 1T does me
good to litsen to her"
1t may be fine singing" says Mrs.
Captain Close, "but don't believe in
those screechin' voices. Give me cultya-
tion. say "
1T amt the way we was brought up to
sing" said Miss Hannah Hall. "Anyhow,
it would have been only politeness for her
to come on and make the audience q
courtesy, with them rapping their um. ,
brela handles off agln the floor
1
"Praps she was bashful' suggested ,
Dorcas Broadbead. |
Nonsense !" said Mrs Captain Close {
Upon the whole, Slackvlle couldn't
decide whether it liked Mary Bell or not ,
She had certainly startled them out Of 3
their apathy; but they we're a little a
of having been thrown off their ;
guard. And they universally agreed that i
''it wasn't what they bad been used to-"
But the Slackville choir succeeded in
raising S25 from the proceeds CT the con n
cert and they went to New York and "put a
up" at the modest establishment Of Dea- Il
con Ehphsz Midgett's widow.
And after their supper Of cold corned s
beef aud beans, and q powdered variety v
Of bakers sweet cake, that some how sug v
gested the idea OF one Of Pharaoh's mum
mics, they set forth to the Academy OF G
Music, Hoiali NJ Mittison and Hannah Hall X
leading the wsy, and Mrs Captain Close .
with Mr. Ferdinand Jones.
Dear me, what crowd r said Miss 0
Hall tt
"And how elegant the ladies are dressed o
to be sure r said Mrs Captain Close with a.
"A uneasy glance at her dyed green silk p
gown. y
And then the mad rush consequent up u
IN the opening OF the doors, the squeeze.
he shrikss. the gesticulstions Of the ush
,rs aud the determination OF everybody
o get into somebody else's seat, which ii
the musical public on field y
nights. be they Of high or low degree. gi
"0nly concert to night, said Mrs. fr
captain Close. Il did s'pose it was to be b,
be opera. Ell
II don't mstter what it is so long rs Sig ii
Iora Belloni's wonderful voice SCARED up 10
vard like silver dove, rising steadily Al
boye the blsre OF the orchestra. OF
Mrs. Captsia Close looked at Mr.. Mat ed
ison with bewildered air; Mr.. Jones ns
,ared al Hannah Hall al
II can't b, possible r. said Mrs. Cap ly
ain Close. 70
No. il cant !" cried Hannah. s.,
But II is certainly shel' said Horatio. be
With the encore. signora Belioni came co
miliugly forward aud sang ''Tsickenham at
'ery," aud as she sang she fIed her dark pc
park Ing exes full on TIE Slark vi le .chnir al